[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] She had a late night last night, and it had its good and its bad moments. So she’s dragging a bit when the VW Bus pulls up to the Brotherhood. She gets out, flicking a cigarette butt in the trash on the way in the front door and rubs at her eyes as she makes her way upstairs toward Gina’s room.

[Gina McClaren] *Gina had called Sarita. She had counted to ten. then she’d counted to twenty. Then the hot headed pikey had counted to one hundred and thirty, set her blades carefully away from her and then she had called Sarita. And rather than rage over the phone, she’d asked the Strider to meet her in her room, when next she was near.

Gina’s pacing a groove between the cot-beds of her tiny hostel room when Sarita creaks the door open. Dark eyed pikey opening her mouth to speak. Aborting that, taking a deep breath, and starting again.*

“Um…no, not lately. Amy left town for a bit and she hasn’t stayed here since she got back. I’ve been staying at Kate’s loft, I’m packed with the Unbroken now.”

She comes in and shuts the door. “What’s going on?”

[Gina McClaren] So yer sister.. esnae even stayin here?

*Brown eyes light and narrow murderous. Purely murderous, that expressive voice dripping with vemon unmatched. Teeth grind, and the smaller woman turns her shoulders away from Sarita to take a moment. Will over-riding her sharp tongue as she forces a breath through her nose. When she speaks, her voice is level, but laced with something dangerous.*

[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] She frowns as she listens. Her instinct is to snap back at the woman tossing out invective at her about her sister. Sarita is protective over Amy; that much is generally known now. She’s protective of all of her kinfolk…the ones that let her be. And one of those kinfolk is the angry one, so instead of going with her instinct and getting defensive, she takes a breath.

“That’s entirely not what’s going on, Gina. You’re makin’ a lot of assumptions here, no offense. Near as I know, she took the note down so she could discuss it at the meeting she organized for the kinfolk that she had last night. Just because she isn’t staying here doesn’t mean she isn’t stopping by, and the emergency plans affect her just as much as anyone else in just such a situation.”

A pause. “Also, let’s try to leave words like ‘cunt’ out of it, please. You want to talk this out…fine I’m here for that, chica. But I wouldn’t tolerate someone talking about you that way, and I’m not comfortable with you talking about her that way.”

[Gina McClaren] Och fer the love o christ.

*Bitter laughter and a shake of her head, Gina waving her hand dismissive. Anger still burning in dark eyes.*

*Will alone ha her seated on the bed as she singsongs with no small rancor. Hands gesticulating wildly. When she finally stops speaking, her look is flat. Neither expectant nor plaintive, but rather a cold facade of bitterness with the fire of well fed anger beneath. Gina railing at a lost cause. Hands rise and fall. A shake of her head.*

Fookit.

[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] She frowns. “Okay. so what other kinfolk have come to you saying that they’re upset because the plans were removed?”

*The pikey shakes her head once more in disgust. Dragging a hand through long hair. Waiting.*

[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] “From what Amy told me, Cordelia was at the meeting last night and was totally on board with what Amy was talking about. So either you talked with her before the meeting or she’s fuckin’ playing both sides of the fence.”

She shakes her head. “I don’t know the specifics, Gina. Sorry, I wasn’t there, on account of the fact that I’m not kinfolk. But as far as I know, she simply took the instructions list so she could show it to people who had not seen it. You can say that people who don’t live here aren’t affected, but unless you plan on banning all kinfolk not living here from stopping by or kicking them to the bad guys in order to get away in case of emergency, they’re going to need to know and follow it. So yes, it is their business. Tell me I’m wrong and if so, give me a reason why.”

[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] “Also, Carter was there and he’s part of the plan. So it’s not like she just shut everyone out in regard to it and is fucking with people.”

[Gina McClaren] *Lips open and a babble of conosnants singforth – only to stop abruptly as the pikey roll sher eyes back, jaw tense.*

*Rising, the diminutive woman strides to the door and opens it. Standing to the side wof where her space bleeds out into public domain.*

Either way, jes gi’ oot. Honestly. AH’m saerry ah called ye Strider.

[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] She frowns. “You know, Gina…I understand that you hate us. I get that. And based on your past experiences, I don’t blame you. So I’ve been trying to make up for that. I’ve been nothing but kind. I’ve tried to get to know you, as much as you’ve let me, and I’ve given you your space because that’s what you want. In the meantime, I’ve been here two months, I’ve been backed for about two weeks and I’m already mourning the loss of a packmate and two other deaths. So I understand what this city does.”

“That being said,” she says with a look at the woman. Not hateful, not even angry. She’s just…resigned. “That being said, I’ve asked absolutely nothing of you. I don’t expect you to cowtow to me, call me ‘rhya’ or any of that shit. I’d like to think I’ve been pretty good about shit. What I’ve hoped for, is the respect due one person to another. But when I try to talk something out and you’re clearly not willing to listen, all you want to do is yell at me, call me stupid because I won’t do exactly what you want–which you never even told me what you wanted–and then tell me to get out? You’ve hit my limit.”

She makes her way for the door, passing by her and heading down the hallway. “Just make sure you keep letting me know you’re okay. Because one of us gives a shit about the other.”

[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] [[backed = packed]]

[Gina McClaren] Och ah’m certain ye thenk ye dae darlin. G’day.

*A low laugh, thick with helpless amusement. Striders Care and other Fables. Nothing yet of Proof. The pikey’s door shuts with a resounding click, as Gina throws up her hands and locks the latch.*